JETS AND GIANTS STUDY PICKS

JETS AND GIANTS STUDY PICKS; TRADES COULD CHANGE OPTIONS IN EARLY ROUNDS

By FRANK LITSKY

Published: April 27, 1986

In Tuesday's National Football League draft, the Giants will be looking for help at many positions - defensive line, inside linebacker, defensive backfield, wide receiver and running back.

So whom will they choose in the first round? Maybe an offensive lineman. It's that kind of a draft.

''This is not a blue-chip draft,'' said General Manager George Young of the Giants, ''but a strong blue-collar draft. A lot of people think there's better quantity than quality.''

The strongest positions in the draft are offensive line (tackle and guard) and running back. The Giants are not looking for help in the offensive line. In fact, three offensive linemen who missed last season because of injuries - William Roberts, Brian Johnston and Damien Johnson - are returning.

Because the Giants reached the playoffs last year, their first-round choice will come relatively late in the draft, 19th among the 28 teams. Most of the blue-chip players will be gone by then, so if the best player available is an offensive lineman the Giants probably will take him. They would still have opportunities to address their prime needs in the next few rounds.

If things work out, the Giants may have two or three first-round choices. They are trying to trade Mark Haynes and the N.F.L. rights to Gary Zimmerman, and each has the potential to bring a first-round choice.

Haynes, four times an all-pro cornerback, missed 93 days last season in a bitter contract dispute, and his exit seems certain. If few teams seem interested in him, as the Giants say, the reason is probably contract acrimony rather than playing ability. Seeking Western Team

Zimmerman, an outstanding offensive lineman in the United States Football League, has refused to play for the Giants, who hold his N.F.L. rights. He has said he wants to play for an N.F.L. West Coast team.

If the Giants have only one first-round selection, they will probably choose the best or close to the best athlete available. With two or three choices, they might gamble on someone like Keith Byars of Ohio State.

Byars is a college tailback who probably will become a pro fullback. Had he been healthy, he would probably have been among the top two or three choices in the draft. But because he is recovering from foot surgery and may not be able to play all or part of this season, many teams are leery of him. The Giants have looked at him closely and might be willing to wait a year until he is healthy.

''Someone will take a chance,'' said Young.

The Giants want young running backs for two reasons. First, Tony Galbreath is 32 years old and Rob Carpenter 31, making them among the oldest runners in the league. Second, they and Joe Morris play little on special teams. As a result, some defensive starters, notably Terry Kinard, have been playing steadily on these teams, tiring them for their regular jobs.

Another special-teams problem last year was inconsistent field-goal kicking. Ali Haji-Sheikh and Eric Schubert will be in training camp, and the Giants know that kickers are always available in the market if they need one.

Aside from that, Parcells said he wanted to improve his firepower and get good young people up front defensively. His particular firepower goal is a big, fast wide receiver who can get avoid getting jammed at the line of scrimmage. The Giants took Stacy Robinson, a speedy wide receiver, on the second round of last year's draft, but Parcells said he did not think Robinson was ready yet.

Of the top-ranked candidates in the draft, the Giants like the fleet Mike Sherrard of U.C.L.A., although getting off the line may be a problem for him. Hassan Jones of Florida State has good hands but questionable speed, Walter Murray of Hawaii has questionable hands and quickness, David Williams of Illinois is fluid but slow, Ernest Givens of Louisville is gifted but small (170 pounds) and Tim McGee of Tennessee must live down the N.F.L. failures of several recent Tennessee wide receivers. Defensive Help Needed

Young help is needed up front to replace, in a year or two, 33-year-old George Martin at defensive end and 32-year-old Harry Carson at inside linebacker. In addition, the Giants would like a young defensive end who could play against both the run and the pass. Of their five veteran defensive ends, only Leonard Marshall does that.

One attractive collegian is Tim Green, a defensive end from Syracuse who, at about 240, is projected as an N.F.L. inside linebacker. There are no outstanding inside linebackers in the draft. Of the other good defensive ends in the draft, Jon Hand of Alabama (6 feet 6 1/4 inches, 280 pounds) will probably be chosen before the Giants get a chance, Leslie O'Neal of Oklahoma State seems better suited to play outside linebacker and Gerald Williams of Auburn seems better suited for nose tackle.

The Giants want defensive backs to replace Bill Currier, whose career seems over after back surgery, and Haynes, assuming he is traded. However, there is no defensive back who seems good enough to be chosen in the first round. In the later rounds, there will be plenty of worthy candidates in the defensive backfield and at most other positions, players good enough to make an N.F.L. team.

The Giants have no interest in a quarterback. They are not looking for a tight end, even though Zeke Mowatt is still regaining strength after surgery to repair torn knee ligaments.

''We're not coming into the draft filling holes,'' said Young. ''We have to get more competition at certain spots like wide receiver, and we need youth at places like the defensive line and inside linebacker. And we can always use defensive backs. I think there are enough players out there to help us.''

Photo of George Adams (NYT/Marilynn K. Yee); List of Giants year player, position and school; Drawing